The Eyes Behind the Mask
by SexiAnglo
Summary: A Ball is announced. Harry and Hermione don't have dates. Feelings revealed. Complete


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, never have, never will.

The Eyes Behind The Mask

**Saturday evening **

Hogwarts was buzzing. The students were gossiping and too many peoples surprise so were the teachers. Ever since the Christmas Ball had been announced. There had been nothing but talk of dresses and dates between the girls. And there had been more boys checked into the infirmary, with fainting problems than ever before. All the boys would prefer to walk into the Forbidden Forest unarmed, than have to gather the courage to ask a girl to the dance.

But amidst all this frenzy two students couldn't care less about the upcoming dance.

Hermione felt that studying for her Newts was a far more beneficial way to spend her time than prancing around in a dress, and painful shoes for an evening. But because Dumbledore had made the dance mandatory for all seventh years, the only exception being mortal peril or sickness, Hermione found that she would have to attend. But she refused to make the fuss the others were making.

The second student, felt that with his past record with girls, and the unwanted stress they cause, the dance was just going to be another chore. Harry was more focused on destroying Voldemort and getting out of school so he would be free and not constantly watched.

Hermione, Harry and Ron, were relaxing in the common room. Hermione tucked in a over stuffed arm chair, with the most recent addition of Hogwarts: A History, occasionally looking up to watch one of Ron's chess pieces, make mince meat out of one of Harry's.

Ron, who like the rest of the school was talking incessantly about the ball. Was at this moment retelling the courageous moment when he got the nerve to ask Luna. Hermione and Harry had heard this so much, that as Ron was talking they turn to each other and mimed along with him.

When Ron realized what they were doing , he burst out.

" You may make fun of me, but neither of you have dates. Which in the opinion of the student body is pathetic. Also in the words of Lavender Brown" When the Head boy and girl, who are also the most attractive male and female in the school, don't have dates the world is coming to an end." Ron proclaimed, with a satisfied smile.

The other two looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"What's so funny?" Ron yelled turning the signature Weasley red. " It was a complement, and I was trying to be a good friend, and bring to the attention of my best friends that they are the only seventh years without dates." he finished and stormed off up to the boys dormitories.

"God! Is it me, or is he becoming more of a women everyday?" Hermione asked with a rather exasperated tone.

Harry who had been experiencing Ron's moods swings at a closer range than her, nodded.

"Do you have any idea what's up with him?"

" Not a clue. He does bring up a valid point though we are the only ones that don't have dates." She said as though it was the last thing she should be worrying about.

A second or two later Harry noticed Hermione's face go from, "I hate dances" to " I've just had an idea"

" Harry, we are both a couple of idiots, why didn't we think of it before. We should go together. It solves all our problems. We avoid all the awkward stuff that goes along with dances. There are no expectations and it should be fun." She said in a excited rush

Harry who had struggled to follow along, realized that she had a good point and It would stop him from looking stupid in front of his mates because he had a date, and he didn't have to go through the process of asking someone.

" Sounds like a plan" Hermione smiled and settled back in her chair and returned to her book, while Harry lay on his back, propped up on his elbows in front of the fire.

Harry stared into the fire and realized how this had always been the way with Hermione. Always comfortable with silence, both content to let the other alone in their thoughts, but always there when one of them needed to talk. He watched her as she tucked that one bit of hair that always escaped her pony tail, behind her ear, he watched the fire light flicker across her body and how petite she looked in that chair.

Harry realized that Lavender had a valid point when she said that Hermione was attractive. Her curly and unruly hair had always seemed adorable to him. And her eyes were windows into her soul, someone who knew her well, could read every thought and feeling through her eyes. Her lips now that he thought about them were incredibly kissable and she had grown in the last couple of years into a real beauty.

She was passionate and loyal, and the boy that would finally get her would be very lucky.

Hermione would make any man happy, the question was more could they make her happy.

At this point Hermione looked up , having felt Harry staring at her for quite some time.

" Harry?" giving him a questioning look. " Are you ok? Are you alright?" she put her book down on the chair and rushed over to him. " Harry, are you having another vision? Should I get Dumbledore?" She was starting to panic.

" Hey, calm down. I was just lost in my own world." He put his hands on her shoulder and pulled her into a hug.

Another thing about Hermione was that she was caring to a fault. She worried constantly about him and she would, without a second thought die for him. And he would for her.

Harry realized that they had become so close through their years at Hogwarts, that the idea of a life without her, made his heartache.

It was then he realized that he and Hermione had something special. Unlike her relationship with Ron, which resembled one of a brother and sister. Her relationship with him had never gone near the brother and sister thing.

There before the fire, with his arms around the most beautiful and wonderful girl in the world. Harry realized that he had to have this girl, no women, with him for the rest of his life. He loved her not just as a friend, but as a lover would love.

All this came crashing down on him all at once.

Harry scrambled to his feet, leaving Hermione in a heap on the floor.

"Harry!" She squealed in indignation, as she untangled herself, and stood up.

" Sorry, I just realized that I have a…….. transfiguration test tomorrow and I haven't studying for it. Ill see you in the morning" Harry said in a rush and ran to toward the boys dormitories.

" Hey Harry, what's wrong you're lying, we don't have a test tomorrow, I would know!"

She yelled after him. But Harry was gone up the stairs to his dorm.

The rest of week past relatively normally for Hermione. With school and Head duties, she had tried to talk to Harry about the night, but he always avoided answering the question.

She was no longer dreading the dance, doing anything with Harry was always fun and she might get a chance to tell him she was a girl, and see if their was anything between them.

Harry on the other hand was having a really hard time acting normally around Hermione. Even Ron with the emotional range of a teaspoon, had asked Harry what was upsetting him. Harry would rather deal with Voldemort then and there, than have to face the prospect of spending the night with Hermione, with his confusing feelings and stuttered speech.

The Day of the Ball

Harry woke in a cold sweat, his dreams this past week, had been doing nothing for his nerves. Each dream ended the same way, with Hermione slapping Harry across the face.

Harry knew that Hermione would never do that, but his nerves were winning the battle.

Harry needed to know if he had any chance with Hermione, he had to find out discreetly, or it would ruin their friendship, and he had to have her in his life whether it was as a friend or as a lover.

He sat on the edge of his bed trying to figure out a plan, while the rest of the seventh year boys woke up around him. Ron appeared from under the covers, his red hair sticking up at every angle, yawning.

" Hey, mate what's on your mind?" Then Ron added teasing, "Not feeling sick about taking Hermione to the ball tonight are you?"

Harry got it. Ron maybe clueless, but he really did stumble upon some genius ideas.

" Actually, I am feeling sick, I was up all night throwing up, it was the most disgusting orange you've….."

"Too much information! Yuck! Do you think you'll be better for the ball tonight?" Ron asked concerned. " I'll go tell Hermione. She'll probably wanna see if you're ok"

He got dressed quickly and hurried down to the common room in search of Hermione.

All the boys had left the dormitory know, and Harry was casting spells on himself. One was so he appeared paler than he was, another gave him a high fever, he also gave himself a cough all in the space of about thirty seconds, any longer, his plan would have been screwed, because Hermione charged though the boys bedroom door, looking worried.

" Harry, are you ok? Stupid question. If you're really sick, you should go see Madame Pomfrey."

" I don't want to. I hate the infirmary. And it's not like I have bones to re-grown. Its just the flu and I should be fine by tomorrow. Sorry I can't make the ball tonight Hermione." he faked a cough.

" It's ok, I don't like them that much anyway. I'll stay and keep you company instead." She said in a disappointed tone.

" No, No, No, you go and enjoy your self, its going to be your last Christmas dance at Hogwarts, I don't want me being the reason you missed it." Harry said in earnest, praying that his plan didn't fall through.

" Well….." Hermione said hesitantly. "I did get a dress, and Ginny is really excited, about all the girly stuff, she wants to do before hand, I'd feel bad if I let her down."

" Go have fun, I'll see you tomorrow" Harry said weakly. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze then made her way to the door. " Get better Harry" She said then disappeared.

Harry lay in bed for a long time after, thinking his plan through, making sure nothing could go wrong.

Once he was satisfied he got up, locked the door. Changed in to a pair of jeans and a baggy green sweater, that had previously belonged to Dudley, and made his way to his wardrobe.

Harry paused in front of the mirror, giving herself a critical eye, he decided that he needed his hair cut properly, and if he wanted this night to go in his favor he had to get some other things as well as the hair cut. He retrieved his broom from the wardrobe, a flew from the window.

"Ginny, he's really sick, and I feel like I should be staying with him." Hermione said pacing her room.

" If he said wanted you to go. GO! And have a nice time, you work so hard, you deserve this break." Ginny said again, Hermione's constant worrying about Harry was slowly driving her insane.

" Hermione, we have both got to be ready for this ball in a hour, we've spent the day talking about nothing important. Harry will be fine, he's faced Voldemort how many times? I think he'll be able to fight off the flu."

Ginny grab Hermione and forced her into the chair in front of her vanity, and started trying different hairstyles. In the end the end: Hermione had a sophisticated French twist with long side bangs, accentuating her long neck. While Ginny had hers half up, with curls falling to the middle of her back.

Then they got dressed. No one had seen Hermione's dress, she had kept it safely hidden, because secretly she was very proud of her choice, and she did look stunning in it if she did say so herself.

Ginny gasped when Hermione emerged from the bathroom. She was wearing a midnight blue, floor length gown with little specks of glitter, it had one strap on her left shoulder. With it she wore a diamond choker and dangly earrings to match. ( The dress is based on the one from Anastasia) She put on her silver shoes and stood before the mirror.

" Screw Harry. Every boy at the dance is going to faint when you walk in." Ginny had changed and come up behind Hermione.

" Ginny! You look amazing" Hermione squealed.

Ginny was wearing a strapless emerald green dress that fell to the floor, it fit perfectly with her hair.

" Gin, you no that you're going to have to take a trip to the infirmary before you go to the dance, because the moment you go down stairs. Neville's going to have a heart attack."

They both laughed, Ginny put on her shoes and the two girls made their way down to the common room.

Hermione nearly got it right. Neville's knees gave out from under him, when he caught sight of Ginny. Ron had to catch him.

"Whoa, mate you ok?" he said trying not to laugh, putting Neville back on his feet.

Ron turned to Hermione, "You look lovely. Harry said have a great time, and that he's really sorry for screwing it up." Hermione gave a sad smile.

They left through the portrait hole, and a the painting of the fat lady swung shut. A young man dressed in emerald green and silver dress robes, descended from the boys dormitories

Harry had spent his day, running around Diagon Alley, trying to find everything to make this night perfect. He had arrived back just in time, so that he was able to hide his bags and jump into bed, before Ron had broken down the door.

As soon as Ron left, to go meet the girls and head down to the ball.

Harry had unpacked his bags and proceeded to get ready.

His dress robes were a little different than the traditional ones that all the boys would be wearing, but after an hour of trying on many dress robes he decided that these were the best.

The pants were regular black slacks, that for once fit Harry's body. After so many years of Dudley Dursley's hand-me-downs, clothes that fit, felt odd but like the women in the shop said " dear, you look amazing, who ever the lucky girl is she going drop in a dead faint when she sees you." The top was a black dress shirt that wrapped it self around his Quidditch toned body, accentuating his chest and arms. He then had a waist coat, made of the finest fabric, with emerald green and silver accents adorning it. Then the robe, it was longer than most and tied round the neck. It was green as well.

He finished it off with black dress shoes and a silver mask.

He looked at himself in the mirror, and hoped to Merlin that this night would go as planned, he picked up his wand and slid it into a pocket on the inside of the robe along with a something silver.

He listened to the conversation down stairs, and once he knew they had left he came down.

He took a big breath and opened the portrait hole, steeping out into the corridor.

" Excuse me!! Who are you? and what are you doing in the common room?" The Fat Lady cried.

" Shhhhhh! Its me Harry" Lifting his mask so she could see his face.

" My, my. So it is. Don't you look dashing tonight. Have a nice time at the dance."

She smiled waving him off. As he got further down the corridor, he swore heard the Fat Lady and her friend from the picture frame across the hall say "My, my, he is nice to look at." "He really is starting to look like James"

Harry walked faster until he reached the top of the marble staircase. The students had been let into the Great Hall, and a few late couples were rushing, from the direction of the Ravenclaw common room. As Harry approached the doors, he heard applause. Hermione was making her way to the front of the hall to give the opening speech.

"Follow students and teachers, I am sorry to tell you that Harry has fallen sick and is unable to attend tonight's festivities, so I am to open the dance on my own, but to save me the humiliation of dancing on my own will anyone accompany me?"

Harry who had been staring at Hermione with his mouth hanging open, while she was up on the stand realized that now was show time.

" I will." said a deep voice from the back of the hall. Harry had lowered his voice a little so she wouldn't recognize him.

Hermione was shocked, she had been expecting Ron or Neville to volunteer. Not a stranger wearing a mask. As he approached her, the rest of the students in the hall parted and she got her first real look at him, she gasped.

The boy, no man, that was walking toward her, was gorgeous. He looked tan and highly toned, he had a natural confidence, which showed in his walking, that seemed some how familiar to her. He step up to the bottom of the platform, and held out his hand. Hermione was too shocked to even question if it was safe or not.

They walked to the middle of the hall and the music started, they were not on their own for long, other couples began to dance, but they were all whispering about the mysterious man that now had his arms around Hermione Granger.

Hermione who had broken out of her daze, started to examine this man. He seemed so familiar. She realized that he was about Harry's height, he had black hair like Harry, but this mans hair was cut in a style that made him look grown up, sophisticated and sexy all at the same time. Last time she check Harry's hair was a tad to long, scruffy and sticking out at the back . She smiled at the thought.

" What are you smiling at?" the man asked with a small curl at the edge of is mouth .

" My friend, you reminded me of him."

" How so?"

" Well you're about his height, same hair color…" She looked up in to his face and saw his eyes they were a shocking blue. She gasped.

"Are you ok?" The man asked in a worried tone.

" Yes, I'm fine, it just your eyes their the same as his, but yours are blue"

The man chuckled, "That would make our eyes very different?"

" No, they are the same," She replied earnestly. "The same passion hidden behind them, the same fire that burns, the same expression. Your eyes look at me the same way." She finished with a small smile. Then looked away.

Harry brought his hand from her waist and turned her chin towards him,

"If we look at you the same way, it's because this friend sees a truly enchanting and intelligent women. Who beauty rivals her passion." He whispered in her ear.

He pulled away to look at her. Hermione had turned a most adorable shade of red and she had a radiant smile plastered to her face.

" You are very kind. But unfortunately my friend, only sees me as a friend. He sees me only as a sister." her smile fading.

" Is that so unfortunate?" Harry questioned, praying to God that she would say yes.

" No, I suppose not." She said quietly

Damn Harry silently cursed himself, why won't she say it.

" Hey, do you want a drink?" Harry asked trying to move the conversation to safer ground.

" Yes." She seemed relieved not to have to talk about it anymore.

They made there way to the punch bowl where Ginny and Neville were.

" Hey Hermione, who's your friend?" asked Ginny, giving Harry the once over.

Harry had a hard time keeping a straight face, if Ginny knew who she was checking out, the punch she was currently drinking would probably come out of her nose.

" Nice to meet you, I'm Jason Collins, call me Jace"

Holding his hand out to Neville, then raised Ginny's hand to his lips, brushing a kiss across her knuckles. " I'm an exchanged student from Durmstrang."

Hermione saw Ginny swoon and turn red, making her smile and struck up a conversation between the four.

The rest of the evening went smoothly, with Harry meeting all the people, that he would be sleeping in the same room as tonight.

Hermione was having the time of her life, Jace was so gorgeous and sociable and he paid very close attention to her, and made her friends laugh.

He reminded her so much of Harry, every time she thought this she felt guilty for having a good time while Harry was upstairs sick. But every time she fell into one of these moods. Jace distracted her and made her laugh.

" Hey Jace," Ron asked, "Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you wearing a mask?"

Everyone in the group became quiet waiting for the answer to the questioned they'd all been asking.

"Oh, well it's an embarrassing story," Harry started. He had to think quick. " Last week, was the last Quidditch game of the season, and I was diving for the snitch and got hit by a bludger. I still have a black eye." He finished, and took a mental breathe. That was close.

Ron patted him sympathetically on the back. " Our friend Harry has just recovered from a Quidditch injury, took bloody ages."

" Last song of the evening, so grab your partner and hold 'em close and dance. Thanks for the great evening Hogwarts!!!!!" said the overly loud and slightly intoxicated lead singer of the band Potions Gone Wrong.

Harry held out his hand for Hermione, and led her on to the floor.

" Your friends all seem very close and I wish I could have met your friend Harry, You all seem to really care about him."

" Yes, he a big part of our group, he's so caring and loyal, and vulnerable." she was lost in her thoughts staring off somewhere over her shoulder. " He wants to take everyone's pain away, but he keeps all his inside. He usually talks to me about things that bother him, but over the past week there is something that he's not telling me. I'm scared that it's something important and dangerous."

" Have you ever thought that it could just be something trivial, like he's worried about a test or is having girl problems." Harry said.

" He doesn't really need to worry about tests, he's a good student, a little lazy, but does his work none the less. If it was girl problems I wouldn't no what to do with myself."

She turned to the side and brushed a tear away.

" Hey, Hey." Harry said in a caring voice, " What's wrong I really didn't mean to upset you. What did I say?" Harry was scared he'd really upset her.

" I'm fine, it's just it would kill me to see him with a girl."

" You love him like a brother, I understand. But your going to have to let him go." It nearly killed Harry to say that.

" NO, NO !!!!! that's not what I mean. Why does everyone think that? I don't love him like a sister would love a brother. I love him like a women loves a man." The sentence started off as a shout, but ended up as a whisper.

But Harry heard the end, and wanted to kiss her and swing her around, but he had to finish the plan.

Harry pulled the silver bracelet out of his pocket, that he'd put in with his wand earlier.

Hermione looked at the bracelet that, Jace had given her. It was beautiful she'd never seen something so exquisite. It was covered in tiny diamonds and sapphires. Jace turned the bracelet over so she could read the inscription on the inside of the bracelet.

I love you, always have, always will. - Harry

She looked up into his face. The first thing she noticed was that the eyes behind his mask had changed from their shocking blue to emerald green, Harry's eyes. She gasped and took a step back.

Harry reached up a took off the mask. He gave her a shy smile.

Hermione's face was one of complete and utter shock. Harry James Potter, had gone behind her back and deceived her. Pretended to be someone else and messed her about.

The next thing that happened was everyone in the hall stopped, because a sound like a gun shot echoed off the walls. They turned to see that Hermione Granger had just slapped Harry Potter hard across the face. But what surprised them more was what happened next.

" Owwwww!!!!!!!! What the hell was that for?" Harry cried in pain

" That was for tricking me and making me confess, this is for looking absolutely stunning and telling me you love me."

She slid the bracelet on her wrist and then took his face in her hands and pulled him down for a kiss. A kiss that everyone in that room would always remember, not because of the passion, or the romance of it, but for the love that radiated off the two.

That night the two went to bed, happier than they had been in their lives. Hermione was sitting at her window looking at the stars, when Hedwig arrived. Attached to the owl's leg was the mask Harry had worn that night, on the inside he had written.

The eyes behind this mask, only saw you this evening, you were beautiful and the night was unforgettable.

Harry, Ron and Hermione, finished off the year at school, passing their exams. Then the Graduation ceremony was crashed by Voldemort. Who then got destroyed, and the ceremony then became the biggest party in a decade.

Most say that, that kiss, in that hall was the day that the Harry and Hermione Potter romance started, but if someone was to ask a close friend of the happily married couple, when that romance started. They would say on the train that took the Golden Trio, from Platform nine and three-quarters, to Hogwarts their first year.

The End

I had so much fun writing this and after all positive reviews, for my first story, I jumped straight in a wrote another one. Hope you enjoyed it and PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!


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